The Roots

The Roots project is structured to engage the participant with the unique installation of a site-specific web of handcrafted mixed natural fibers sculptural elements.  Drawn together in space, each installation is an open structure that evokes the passing of information and the interworking of life. Participants are immersed in an interactive, tactile world of sculptural fiber works while guided through a curated series of activities carefully developed to inspire reflection upon the complex social and mental landscapes of our contemporary world. The activities progress through a process of steps that lead to the creation of a novel sculptural installation reflecting the group's vision and energy.

As an interactive, kinetic sculpture, The Roots disrupts our reality and enliven our senses by offering a three-dimensional, immersive, dynamic and physical experience reconnecting the mind and body and actively encouraging creative thinking and inspired reflections on the multiple levels of interconnectedness of individuals and networks.

The Roots employs an intricate ensemble of innovative fiber art and sculptural works, many of which were originally developed with varied communities as social art projects and have subsequently been part of installations, workshops, and performances in schools, universities, on alternative or traditional scenes.

During the summer of 2015  The Roots fiber sculpture was central to a series of workshops focused on movement and creativity that were organized by Muriel Maffre for the Alonzo King Lines Ballet Summer Workshop Series. The experimental moments that resulted from the dancers' unexpected encounters with the material led to fascinating, engaging, and thought-provoking moments as the dancers sought to understand the fiber sculpture and explore its properties, and to engage with a number of activities, questions, and challenges that were presented to them. Questions such as how might The Roots be manifested as an extension of oneself, and how might the roots be used to shape an environment, generated numerous thoughtful reflections and studied interpretations, and contributed to the ever-increasing range of social moments that have defined The Roots' energy.